Sources say United are increasingly aware they need to make clearer and more decisive calls on their squad, both to improve the team and create the financial flexibility required for the next stage of the rebuild.
The club have developed a reputation for allowing difficult transfer situations to linger, rather than making firm decisions on players whose futures are uncertain. That approach may have to change as United approach an important period in their evolution.
Many senior players are likely to come under the spotlight, including Joshua Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte, Mason Mount, Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, Harry Maguire, Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui and Lisandro Martinez.
United will need to consider both the transfer fees they can generate and the wages they can remove from the bill when making such decisions.
The future of Bruno Fernandes could even become a situation again, depending on how circumstances develop.
It is particularly important because Champions League qualification is expected to be a major factor in United's spending power next summer. Their poor start to the season has left them with ground to make up, meaning contingency planning is already important.
United want to strengthen in defence, with a premium centre-back understood to be among their priorities. If Champions League qualification is missed, however, they will need alternative ways of funding that recruitment.
Player sales and reducing the wage bill will therefore become important.
That comes as the club also commits significant resources to their long-term stadium plans. United have confirmed a £63.5 million acquisition of land required for a proposed 100,000-seater stadium, while overall debt remains above £1 billion.
There is also other considerable uncertainty around the club at present. Michael Carrick's position has been publicly debated after the poor start, although United currently intend to stick by him, while protests against the ownership continue.
From a football perspective, one of the clearest signals United can send is through their approach to the squad.
Some players may still have an important role to play, but others will reach the point where United have to decide whether their value to the team outweighs the opportunity to generate a fee or remove a significant salary.
Dean Jones has been a transfer news and football insider for Flashscore since 2025, as well as a journalist for leading UK newspapers and websites over the past 20 years, establishing himself as an authoritative and trusted voice in the industry.
